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Near Unanimous

SOUTH AMBOY – City Council President Fred Henry has won a slew of endorsements in his quest for election as mayor.

The AFL-CIO and American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) each announced support for the Democratic slate led by Henry.

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“The Middlesex County Central Labor Council voted to endorse Fred Henry for Mayor of South Amboy and his running mates for Council, Joseph Connors, Michael (Mickey) Gross and Donald Applegate, in this year’s general election,” said Thomas Tighe, president of the union coalition.

“South Amboy has achieved state recognition as a Smart Growth / Transit Village Community; They have created a state-of-the-art Community /YMCA / new Senior Center which was built under a PLA, a new Train Station and $100 million in grants and private investment to improve public infrastructure in your town.”

The Home News Tribune backed the Council President and published an editorial titled, ‘Henry will provide a steady hand in South Amboy’ in which the newspaper concluded, “Henry is our pick for South Amboy mayor.”

“His record on recreation is impeccable, with the greatest expansion of services for children and seniors in the city’s history,” said Mayor John T. O’Leary. “Fred Henry helped us get $100 million in grants, which provided funding for the roads and bridges, water and sewer lines, and other infrastructure that has enabled the new development that is coming,” said O’Leary.

“Even as the economy lags, Fred Henry’s achievements are bringing to South Amboy investors like O’Neill Properties’ $1.5 billion development of the northern waterfront, New York Waterways’ ferry operation, a new, $28 million subacute health and dialysis center from Windsor Health Care and so
much more,” said O’Leary. “These will create jobs, expand our municipal revenue base and contribute millions of dollars in taxes to help ease homeowners of that burden.”

Even former Councilman John F. O’Connell, who is on a military assignment at the Pentagon, wrote a
compelling endorsement of the Democratic City Council President. “I am saddened to see that one of
Fred’s opponents has once again taken the campaign into the gutter, like she did four years ago,” said
O’Connell. “In these uncertain times, it is critical that the person at the helm has not only the knowledge and experience, but the compassion and understanding to be the city’s chief executive.”